Holdup frustrater



1. F. FENTON. n HOLDUP FRUSTRATER.

APPLICATION FlLED OCT.1, 1921. 1,407,399, l Patented Feb.21,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ATTORN EY J. F. FENTON.

HOLDUP FRUSTRATER.

APPLICATION EILED OCT. 1 1921.

1 ,407 ,399, Patented Feb. 21;, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

AINVENTOR ATTORNEY ilt TATS HOLDUF FRUSTRATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

Application iled October 1, 1921. Serial No. 504,795.

T o all whomr may concern.'

Be it known that l, JOHN F. FEN'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Wyandotte and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Holdup Frustrater, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates generally to hold-up frustraters and particularly to a structure of this character which is adapted for installa- -tion in railway mail and express cars to re-` pel and frustrate attacks of train robbers.

The object of the invention is to provide a bullet proof barricade for the interior of railway mail and express cars and which may be occupied by a guard, and having facilities for the protection of railway clerks and trainmen and valuables in their charge from surprise attacks of train robbers with in and without the car` and forgiving audible and visible warnings of the approach of robbers.

I attain these objects and other advantages by means of the structure and combination of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which-Figure 1, is a transverse section of a railway mail car equipped with a barricade constructed in accordance with my invention; Figure 2, is a horizontal section of the barricade, on the broken line 2 2 in Figure l; Figure 3, is a vertical section of the same, and Figure 4, is an end view of the same, and showing the projecting upper ends piercing the roof of the car.

Similar numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings-the numeral l, designates a railway mail car in cross section and disclosing a built-in bullet proof hold-up frustrater 2, which embodies my invention. The hold-up frustrater is made of end plates 3, which are extended vertically of the car, adjacent the sides thereof, to the roof of the car and then formed outward at right angles at the eaves of the roof and extended a suitable distance outward of the car and then formed vertical to and a little distance above the roof proper of the car. Centrally of the car are two spaced apart vertical plates 4, which extend upward a suitable distance and on the upper ends of the plates 4, is riveted a plate 5, the plates 4 and 5 thus formed and joined together form a passage way 6, from one end of the car to the other. On the edge portions of the plates 3, 4, and 5, are riveted side plates 7, and on the upperportion of the plates 3 and 7, is riveted a roof plate 8, which conforms substantially with the contour of the car roof. On the lower ends of the plates 3, 4

and 7, are riveted ioor plates 9. In one of the plates 4, is an opening l0, which is closed by a door 1l, which is mounted on the inner side of the plate 4, and arranged thereon to slide and open the opening for ingress and egress to and from the barricade. On the door 1s a hook 12, which is adapted for enterlng the eye 13, on the inner side of the structure to hold the door closed. The upper ends of the structure which project from the roof of the car are adapted for observation posts 14,. In the side and end walls of the observation posts and likewise in the door thereof, are port holes 15, and about the port holes are. apertures in which are mounted a plurallty of laminated bullet proof glass eyes 16, and about the glass eyes are a plurality of minute perforations 17, for providing ventilation and a screen for observing the outside environment of the train. ln the side walls of the frustrater and likewise in the plates 4 and 5, at suitable points therein, are port holes 18, and about the port holes are a plurality of laminated bullet proof glass eyes 19, and about the glass eyes are a plurality of perforations 20, which provide ventilation and, together with the glass eyes furnish opportunity for the guard in the frustrater to observe the inside of the car from all angles. On the inner walls of the frustrater are pivotally mounted shields 21,

which are arranged to gravitate to close the port holes being limited in this respect by stops 22, which hold the shields to a proper closing of the port holes. The frustrater is furnished with a revolving chair 23, in each chamber, which chairs are mounted on suitable brackets 24, and also a table 25, is provided on which, in this instance is a telephone 26, and an electric switch 27, and convenient to the observation posts a rifle 28. lt will be noticed that the chairs 23 are elevated above the floor and for conveniently reaching the same, grab irons 29 are mounted on the walls adjacent to the chairs. Steps 30, are provided on the inside walls of the chambers of the frustrater and located opposite to the chairs 23, so that the guard may pass from the chairs to the observation posts the train.

should occasion so require. The train bell cable 31 is arranged to traverse the frustrater and the emergency'brake cable 32, is arranged te enter the frustrater, so that the guard may signal the engineer orfmay independently bring the train to a dead-stop.

The hold-up frustrater provides absolute protection to mail and express clerks and the valuables committed to their care. With the presence of a guard Within the finstrater the clerks and trainmen will feel safe from surprise attacks 'of robbers within or without The guard can Observe from many angles the entire inside of the car and, fromthe Observation posts he may look along the train forward and backward, under and 4over the coaches, and if robbers are discovered he can rotate the shield of any port hole so that the barrel of a revolver or gun may be projected therethrough and the robber or robbers shot, indeed, the guard may from the observation posts shoot a robber while hold-` ing up the engineer in the engine cab. If robbers should enter the car equipped with the frustrater there would be no chance tO escape a fusillade of fire arms from the frustrater. If the guard should discover anything suspicious or wrong requiring the stopping ofthe tra-in, he can manipulate either the bell cable or the emergency brake cable7 or both. I he desired to sound an `audible warning he could close the switch and cause a gong to sound, Or, he could communicate by train telephone to any trainman desired. n

claim is In a hold-up trust-rater, the combination with a railway car, of a bullet resisting barricade extending transversely of the interior of the car and having laterally projecting portions extending outwardly of the Car, said barricade having in common chambers at opposite sides of the inside of the carand oppositely disposed; Observation chambers or posts proj ecting outwardly 'oit the'ear, the exposed vertical sides of the bar'ricade being provided with port holes and with laminated bullet proof glass eyes about the port holes, metal shutters pivotally mounted on the inner walls of the barricade and'holdingthe port holes normally closed, and traincablesl traversing the barricade and adaptedfor; ma# nipulationA thereof within the barriea'de to signal the engineer and to make emergency brake applications. i

Kansas City, Mo., September 26th, 1921.'

JOHN n rnNfrON.

Witnesses:

Y JOHN E. HOFFMAN,

BATTLE MOCARDLE.

Y 35 Having described my invention what I 

